This invention relates to an apparatus and method for sorting articles.
Embodiments of the invention are particularly concerned with sorting mixed metal pieces dependent on the type of metal.
Methods have previously been proposed whereby articles have been sorted manually as they pregressed along a conveyor belt. Once identified, such articles would be manually removed from the conveyor belt and deposited in appropriately identified receptacles. A method and apparatus is known for the separation of uranium bearing rock and this consists of a vibratory feeding mechanism together with a translucent conveyor belt. A light source device is provided to measure the rock size together with a radioactive counter which measures the radiation rate from each rock. From the measurements, a product of the rock size and radiation rate is computed electronically and a signal is produced to cause actuation of air jets which separate the rocks into two categories at the end of the conveyor belt. Attempts have been made to utilize this apparatus for sorting other items, such as pieces of scrap metal, into different categories but such attempts were not successful.
Apparatus is known for sorting mixed metals using differential melting techniques. It is believed that this process is relatively inefficient and consumes large amounts of energy.
As it will be appreciated, apparatus for sorting scrap metal would be particularly attractive from a commercial point of view having regard to the amount of scrap metal which is presently located in different scrap metal yards as, for example, an end product of the automobile industry.
From one aspect it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for sorting objects which is applicable to the sorting of scrap metal and in which the above-mentioned disadvantages are obviated or substantially reduced.